Northern lights visible in Scotland and Wiltshire as they dazzle over UK

Stargazers in parts of the United Kingdom have been surprised by an unexpected display of the northern lights.

A powerful solar storm meant that the colourful lights, also known as aurora borealis, were seen much further south than is usual.

The waves of light caused the sky to turn different shades of green and purple over central Scotland and Wiltshire in South West England.

Auroras occur when electrically charged electrons and protons accelerate down the Earth’s magnetic field lines and collide with neutral atoms in the upper atmosphere.

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